epicuticle

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. The outermost layer of cuticle of an arthropod exoskeleton, composed mostly of wax.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. The outermost portion of the exoskeleton of an insect or arthropod.

Etymologies

epi- +‎ cuticle (Wiktionary)

Examples

The Sec24CD dependent COPII vesicles, thus, carry cuticle components as diverse as for example the chitin synthase producing the bulk of the procuticle, factors of the extracellular melanisation pathway, and the yet unknown lipid-handling enzymes of the envelope and epicuticle.